“Do not pray like the hypocrites, standing on street corners to be seen by others. . . when you pray go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father in secret.” Jesus the Christ

Some of the worst prayers I’ve heard have been made in church, or church gatherings. Admittedly at times by me. I was reminded of this when I happened to catch the “prayer” offered up by the chaplain prior to this year’s Army/Navy football game. It was part prayer, part patriotic speech and part commencement address. It even included a salute to God. It was convoluted and I was left confused.

Praying in public appears a bit at odds with the purpose and maybe even counterproductive. Talking to God—maybe even about God—with other people around seems to promote a spirit of pride and the desire to impress. It becomes a performance. It sounds judgmental of me to say, but it’s true. I’ve done it many times and have been a witness to others who frequently do the same.

The above words of Jesus are sobering. Praying is not an exercise intended to impress or even get “results” from God. It is not any kind of exercise at all. It simply IS. BEING. INTIMATE COMMUNION WITH GOD. Whether you know it or not. Whether one is aware of it or not. Whether others are around to witness it or hear it or join in it or not. Whether it is intentional or not. In fact the less aware one is the better!

Martin Luther once said that the best good work is the one that a person is completely oblivious of. The same certainly can be said for prayer.
“(People) may not even recognize their most prayerful moments as prayer. Others who never say formal prayers are nourished by moments of deep prayerfulness. Yet, they would be surprised to learn that they are praying at all.” Brother David Steindel-Rast, “Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer”

Brother David goes on to make a distinction between “Praying” and “Prayerfulness”. Praying is done actively. It is the conscious, intentional words and activities that one offers up and participates in as the driver or director of all things divine. We like to be in that role of control. So praying is done in church on Sunday morning, or at a set time of the day, or when one is reading through the list that they are keeping of who and what to pray for, or when one is really facing a fearful event that we cannot extricate ourselves from that is so much bigger than we are and that forces us to drop to our knees. Prayers and the act of praying are frequently, though not always, the “damnable activity” that Roland Walls speaks of.

Prayerfulness on the other hand is not any of that. It is spontaneous, genuine and joyful. It is such a surprise that one is most likely unaware that it is a prayer at all. It is the kind of experience that we see in children when they are fully engaged in whatever moment they are experiencing, whether playing, eating or listening to a story. It is the precious moments of life that are embraced and cause us to be lost in wonder and awe.

Take the example of eating a meal. A prayer is offered prior to eating, and maybe at the end. It doesn’t matter if it is “rote” or spontaneous. There is a deliberate action decided upon and entered into. This is not bad (Although I do question the compulsion of Christians to be seen praying prior to a meal at a restaurant in order to “give a witness”, i.e. be seen by others. Seems to smack of what Jesus says about the hypocrites). Prayerfulness is entered into as one is mindful and grateful of everything that is part of the meal. From the place where it is occurring, to the plates that it is being served on, to the hands that have prepared it, to the animal or plant that gave it’s life, to the savory flavors, the person with whom one is partaking, to the conversation that does, or doesn’t take place during, to the water that is used to clean the dishes . . . and so forth. That is prayerfulness. Do I claim to do that at every meal? No! Occasionally I’m aware. And that’s the point! And that’s prayer.